Scarborough Fair
by Im The Sweet
Summary: It was said that after four days a Remnant can not be removed, yet Tanith is living proof that the impossible can be done... it's time for someone else to overcome an impossible task. Set after the events of book 9, inspired by the Epilogue challenge. Contains Ghanith.


**Scarborough****Fair**

**Chapter One – Are You Going? **

Lightning turned the sky purple as the storm raged. The trees submitted to the harsh winds, and let their leaves flutter violently. The ground soaked up the rain, turning the soil to mush, making it difficult and dangerous for anyone to trek.

Two figures made their way toward a small flickering light, trying to find refuge from the relentless storm. The figures were large and well built, but the storm had taken its toll on them. They slumped, their exhaustion obvious, and lumbered their way through the mud.

The light became clearer. The two figured hurried and covered themselves, not wanting to be seen. Not wanting anyone to see their nakedness.

The light was connected to a tiny church, and the figures prayed that someone would let them take shelter inside. The first figure reached the church and banged on the door. The second figure's feet slipped from underneath him and he nearly collapsed on the steps. The first figure saw his companion's distress and rapped on the door even harder.

"Hello!" the first figure's voice was hoarse, and couldn't be heard over the thunder, yet he continued to shout. "Please…let us in!" He could see his own muscles trembling with every urgent strike. They needed sanctuary.

Finally the door creaked open and a young man peered out. The young man practically jumped at the sight of them. Both men where stark naked, pale, and sick looking. The man with his fist against the door was bald and his entire head was riddled with scars. The other who had fallen on the stairs had black hair, salt and peppered with grey, and his face looked strained.

Before the young man inside could say a word the man with the scared face grabbed the young man's wrist and uttered gravelly, "Please, do you have a phone we can use?"

**...**

Morning light peeked through the curtains of the flat, disturbing the sleeping lump in its mess of blankets. The room was almost empty, and there was practically nothing but the sheets on the bed and a suitcase by the door. The mobile on the nightstand buzzed and woke the sleeping lump.

"No," a lump moaned from under the covers, "it's too early."

The buzzing continued.

The lump groaned and threw the covers off of her with a wide kick. Her messy blonde hair stuck up in odd angles and she wiped drool off of the side of her mouth.

"Hello," Tanith answered her mobile groggily.

Tipstaff babbled about something important, but Tanith couldn't stay focus long enough to hear anything besides, "How soon can you be at the Sanctuary?"

She sighed and scratched her back absentmindedly. "Give me…thirty minutes."

She didn't receive a response from the administrator; instead he hung up on her.

"Rude," she muttered then sluggishly got dressed.

Within just a few minutes Tanith was out the door and on the used motorcycle she had been given. The bike was nothing fancy, it got her where she needed to go, but she still felt it would fall apart at any moment.

She got through the front gate, made her way to the Sanctuary, and was intercepted by Saracen Rue.

"Why are you here?" Tanith said, finding a spot to park her bike. "I though you were stationed in London."

"And it's good to see you too, Tanith," Saracen remarked. He looked down at her Bespoke designer boots, opened his mouth, and then closed it.

"What?" Tanith asked. He had something on his mind, and she was going to fish it out of him.

"You just woke up, didn't you," it wasn't a question. He knew. "Your socks don't match."

She looked down; she couldn't even see her socks. "Damn know-it-all," she muttered. She followed him to the Sanctuary's entrance. "Really, Saracen, why are you here? Did the English Sanctuary send you back?"

"No, I'll be going back later this evening." Saracen didn't turn to look at her. Sanctuaries around the world were still cautious of the Irish Sanctuary, and Grand Mage China Sorrows was working to the best of her ability to prove that Ireland only wanted peace. It still felt odd to Tanith to call China the Grand Mage…it was just…weird!

"Just visiting then?" Tanith asked, "Or is something wrong?" China had sent Saracen to work for the English Sanctuary, Dexter Vex to Australia, and Fletcher to Mexico.

"No, no. Nothing is wrong." Saracen waved a hand. "Well, not really. There is someone here who doesn't believe you're Remnant free. They want to see you for themselves." Tanith volunteered to help China regain balance among the Sanctuaries, and soon, she too would be heading off to work for another Sanctuary. Apparently while she was possessed by a Remnant she had caused quite a bit of a stir in America, and now that's where she was being stationed. She really hoped she hadn't made too many enemies in America.

"But several Sensitives have probed my brain already," Tanith said, frustrated that yet again she had to prove she was herself. "Is this going to affect the day I'm scheduled to leave for America?"

"It may," Saracen admitted, "but that will be up to China."

"Saracen, I leave tomorrow, all my belongings are packed."

"It won't be that bad," Saracen turned to her and smiled.

"Really?" Tanith was skeptical. "And how can you be so sure? How do you know this person isn't going to accuse me of being an impostor or possessed by another Remnant?"

He winked. "Because I know things."

Tanith shook her head. Saracen could charm just about anyone, and he had charmed her once before. She didn't regret their relationship, she was still quite fond of him, but she had no feelings for him any longer. She wasn't even sure if her feelings for him then had even been real.

She had grown so close to Ghastly when he was alive, and she was devastated when she found out he had been killed. She knew he was a bit shy, and she had had a feeling that he fancied her, and she regretted not making the first move. Yet she was so proud of him for asking her to have dinner with him…they never had dinner though. She was still mourning over him. Mourning what they could have been.

Tanith batted Saracen shoulder. "Why are we going to the infirmary?"

He didn't answer.

Tanith began mentally preparing herself to let another Sensitive poke around in her head. That's probably what this person was, a Sensitive, or they brought one with them.

Saracen stopped in front of a door in the medical wing, and then he raised his hand and rapped on the door with his index and middle knuckles. There was a pause before someone on the other side beckoned them in. Saracen held the door for her to enter first.

There were so many people in the room. All people she knew. First she saw Skulduggery standing quietly near the door. Then she noticed Dexter and Fletcher, they had both turned to her. Next she saw China looking over Dr. Synecdoche's shoulder. China glanced up at Tanith, China almost smiled. Dr. Synecdoche didn't even look up, she hovered over a patient lying in the bed before her.

Tanith half expected the patient to be Valkyrie, she had left a short time ago to figure herself out. Tanith couldn't blame her, she understood, she just wished she was able to give her a proper goodbye. But it wasn't Valkyrie lying in the bed; Tanith actually wasn't sure who it was. It was a large man, with graying hair. One hand was on his chest as if he were holding something in, his eyes were shut, and he had tubing running across his face to help him breath.

Tanith was about to ask Saracen who the gentlemen was, but that's when she noticed a second bed in the room, and she locked eyes with its occupant.

Her voice was caught in her throat, and she was frozen in place. She must have been seeing things because who she saw sitting at the edge of the bed couldn't be real. _That was impossible. _She must have wanted so badly to see this person again that her mind made him up right in front of her.

The person on the bed smiled his brightest smile at her. He reached his trembling hand out to her. He spoke just above a whisper. "I didn't believe them when they told me," he said, "Tanith, are you yourself again?"

Tanith's legs felt weak, and she almost forgot how to stand, but she walked to him slowly. She could feel her eyes welling up with tears. She could barely speak. "G-Ghastly?"

Their hands touched.

Any doubt in their minds that who dwelled before them was real was now gone. She was the real Tanith, and he was the real Ghastly. As impossible as it seemed, it wasn't a hallucination or a fancy trick. They were real!

And nobody else in the room mattered anymore.

**...**

"Tanith, I still need you to leave for America tomorrow morning," China said regretfully, finally getting the chance to pull her aside to sit down and talk.

Tanith blinked, she didn't want to leave now. Not with Ghastly here in Ireland. "Is there any way we can postpone it for about a week or- "

"They're expecting you tomorrow," China sighed. China closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Tanith."

Tanith put a hand to her temple. "But what if he's not here when I come back." She took a deep breath. "We've been apart for so long," she added quietly.

China folded her hands. "I promise we will protect him, and I will not ask him to return to his Elder Mage position unless he wants to."

Tanith stayed quiet.

"He doesn't even want to stay in the Sanctuary, so I've already arrange a place in Roarhaven for him to live, since his shop has been sold."

Tanith stayed quiet.

"Dr. Synecdoche thinks he's well enough to move him into his new home tonight."

"He'll be alone," Tanith mumbled.

China nodded. "For now. When Synecdoche decides Anton is able to leave then we'll move him into the same home," China said confidently. Tanith had just been introduced to Anton Shudder while he was going in and out of consciousness. She was told he used to run a hotel, but it had been destroyed during the resent war. Due to the complication of his gist he'd be in the infirmary for a while.

After a moment of thought Tanith finally spoke. "Can I at least have his address then…so I know where to go when I come back?"

"Of course."

Tanith was dismissed.

**...**

Tanith made her way back to the infirmary. She had to say goodbye to Ghastly, but as she approached his and Shudder's room she spotted Fletcher and Dexter standing outside the door. Dexter looked upset. She walked faster.

"Is there something wrong?" Tanith asked, now just a few steps away from them. Fletcher looked at her with worry in his eyes.

"A lot of thing are wrong!" Dexter growled. He grabbed Fletcher's arm. "Take me back to Australia, Fletcher. Now!"

Fletcher gave Tanith one last grieving look, then the two men disappeared. She stood in front of the door by herself. She reached for the handle but came to a dead stop when she heard Ghastly curse and then the sound of shattering glass on the other side. All the blood drained from her face, she had never heard him swear like that before. What was happening? Her curiosity told her to barge in and demand answers, but something else inside her told her to freeze. She did the latter.

That's when Saracen opened the door. He didn't open the door wide enough for her to see beyond him though. "Tanith," he said solemnly, "you may not want to go in there."

"What's happening?" she furrowed her brow at him, and he shrunk a little bit under her gaze.

"It's," he paused, joining her in the hall, and closing the door behind him, "it's not my place to say."

"At least tell me if everyone is OK," Tanith took a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

Saracen paused again, then took a deep breath. "_That_," he said, "I do not know." Tanith never thought she'd ever hear him say that.

"Is there anything I can do?" She offered.

He shook his head. "Right now the best thing you can do is go back home and get ready for your trip tomorrow. What time is your flight, eight o'clock?"

"Yeah," she responded, still confused. She could hear Skulduggery saying something from the other side of the door but couldn't make out any of it. That's when Fletcher appeared beside them.

Fletcher nudged Saracen's arm. "Are, you ready to go back to London?"

"Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any," Saracen answered, letting the teleporter put a hand on his shoulder. "Have a good evening, Tanith."

"Yeah, have a good night," Fletcher added.

Tanith nodded, said goodbye, and watch them disappear. She gave the door one last look before reluctantly heading back to her flat.

**...**

The next morning Tanith woke up early, ate, showered, dressed, strapped her suitcase to her motorbike, and rode back to Roarhaven. China gave her Ghastly's new address, and she was going to say the goodbye she didn't get the chance to say yesterday. She just had to find his house first.

She drove through Roarhaven, getting lost in its city a few time before finally finding it. She parked the bike under a nearby tree, not wanting her suitcase to get wet due to the light rain. The house was little and looked a bit dirty, but all the houses looked that way. She noticed all the curtains were drawn closed.

She walked up onto the tiny porch and raised her hand and rapped on the door. It now occurred to Tanith that Ghastly could still be sleeping. It was six thirty in the morning after all.

Tanith heard the door unlock and then watched as the handle moved and the door creaked open. Ghastly stood on the other side, and he seemed surprised to see her.

"Tanith?" he said, he sounded exhausted. "Hello, I…Why are you up so early?"

He was dressed, so she knew she didn't wake him. "I leave for America in less than two hours, and I wanted to say goodbye," she responded. "Why are _you_ up so early?"

"I- I couldn't sleep," he shook his head, and then opened the door wider for her. "Please, come inside, I just made some tea."

She joined him inside, and followed him to the kitchen. The kitchen was clean, bare, and very small, not even big enough for more than two people. He pulled out a chair for her and poured her some tea.

"Sorry," he said after handing her the warm cup, "all I have is green tea right now."

"That's fine," Tanith said after taking a tiny sip. "The house seems a bit empty,"

"Everything here are things they had on hand at the Sanctuary," Ghastly shrugged. He sat down across from her and looked down at his own cup of tea. "Someone else has my shop now…"

Tanith nodded. "I know."

"Everything I had is gone, they sold all of it." He still seemed in a state of disbelief. "Even things in my family vault are gone too."

"I'm sorry," she said. This must have been what had kept him up all night.

He leaned back in his chair and finally looked up at her. "I suppose we're on the same boat then? Waking up and having to…adjust."

She gave him a small smile and nodded. "It feels strange seeing how everyone and everything has changed. It kind of feels like waking up and having a new life."

It was his turn to nod. "Yeah, when I turned myself to stone Skulduggery had saved and protected my belonging." His friend's name sounded almost _painful _for him to say. "Though, this time around we were at war and I had actually died… my home and possessions were the least of his worries." He lifted his cup to his lips and took a long drink. Something else was troubling him, Tanith could see it in the way his shoulders sagged. And if she wasn't mistaken, his hands were trembling as well.

"I feel like there is something else bothering you, Ghastly," Tanith said quietly. He seemed distant, and not just because he woke up and found he had nothing left.

"Yeah," he admitted, "there is." He looked down, not letting Tanith see the sorrow etched into his scarred face.

"Did something happen last night?" she started, "Everyone seemed upset, and I heard you shouting."

"It's sensitive," he spoke quicker than she though he would. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"You can tell me what happened, Ghastly."

"I'd rather not," Ghastly took another drink. "I'd rather not even think about it right now," he admitted. He waved a hand and changed the subject. "You said you came to say goodbye. How long will you be away?"

"For a year," she breathed. She was still curious to what had happened but she wasn't going to press it.

"That's how fate works out for us doesn't it?" he let out an irritated laugh. "There's someone out there who must really not want us together. It's like we can't exist in the same place at the same time."

"But we're both alive," she added, trying to lighten the mood.

"We are," he admitted, the tiniest smile found a place on his face.

"So," Tanith started, tapping a finger on the table, "do you know what you're going to do while I'm away? Open a new shop, perhaps?"

"I'm not entirely sure I know what I want anymore," he confessed. "I may travel. I think I need to get away from some people here, get away from Ireland for a while."

Tanith looked down at the cup of tea she had yet to finish. They had both been through a lot, together and apart. He was hurt, something happened last night. She could see it was eating away at him, and it almost felt cruel to leave him in this state. She knew she couldn't stay in Ireland with him… but nobody said he couldn't come with her.

"Ghastly," she said his name and waited for him to make eye contact with her, "would you like to come with me… to America?"

He blinked, processing her proposal. "Am… am I allowed to come?"

"Nobody said otherwise," Tanith grinned mischievously.

Ghastly stood up, took Tanith's cup and his own, and emptied the rest of the tea into the sink. He walked passed her and into another room. She followed him and watched him put articles of clothing into a small drawstring bag.

"So," Tanith smiled, "are you going?"

He nodded, "I'd go anywhere with you."

She took his hand "Then let's get going, we don't want to miss that plane!" she led him out of the house and to her rickety motorbike. He looked at her skeptically… they weren't both going to get anywhere on that thing.

Tanith scratched her head. "Let's get out of Roarhaven and call a cab."

"Agreed."


End file.
